Surge Protectors and PSU explosion

Crassa

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Jul 27, 2013
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Okay.. I might be the unluckiest person right now. I just decided to save money to upgrade my PC to a new case and fan and basically sh*t happens.

I have no idea what happened. After coming back from college I turned on my extension cord and when I turn on my PC my PSU(SeaSonic SS-650HT) there was a little explosion. I immediately turned off the power from the extension cord, half blinded by the light and discomforted by the smell of burnt plastic. I tried to turn it on again after a few minutes and it basically doesn't work. This PSU was suppose to last for a couple of years and it died before reaching it's first. WTH happened? Note that did this happen once back in July when I turned on my PC in my new house rent(moved out for college) but the PC still works without flaw until today. I reassembled my PC(thankfully there doesn't seem to be any burn marks on any of my hardware), cleaning it in the process and crossing my fingers that it would turn on like I did after the first explosion but I guess it wasn't meant to be. I have no idea why my PC blew up like this in this new house rent but now I know I have to have some sort of protection. So I'm looking for a surge protector or an UPS.

This city I live in, I think brownouts happen, but not severely just a little light flickering for a second and back to normal, though black outs happen often, sometimes up to 3 times a month. I know with blackouts regularly happening I should get myself an UPS instead of surge protectors but considering the price I rather get a SP to avoid things like this happening. Plus I can get an SP with 4000joules half the price I can get for an UPS with only 500-800VA. I honestly prefer to get the SP than the UPS but considering I don't really know what happens to my PC if a blackout suddenly happen I rather ask for expert advice first. What do you think?

Also another thing, would SeaSonic replace my PSU completely considering it didn't reach it's first year or just replace it partially? Anyone that has a similar experience, a reply would be greatly appreciated.
 

Crassa

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Jul 27, 2013
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So I went to the local electronic shop and they seem to have this thing called Stabilizers. I think by the name it seems to stabilize volt income. I rarely have any storm here so I guess Surge Protectors are not needed? One shop recommended me to use stabilizer and an UPS for better protection. But do I really need an UPS? Since I think the only problems I have is a bit of brown outs(small light flickerings) which I think can be neutralised by this stabilizer, though until now I don't really know what caused my PSU to explode.
 

westom

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Mar 30, 2009
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You had a flash and burning smell. Start with facts. Something is physically burned. Without such basis facts such as what failed, then every answer can only be speculation.

Brownouts are potentially harmful to motorized appliances. And do not harm any electronics. In fact, normal voltage for any electronics is even when incandescent bulbs dim to 50% intensity. Why would anyone need a stablizer? Are your lights dimming that much; is your voltage dropping that low? If not, then you have no brownouts. The stablizer is mostly promoted only on hearsay. And without any facts. After all, how often are your bulbs dimming that much? Why did they not sell a stabilizer for the refrigerator and furnace; devices at greater risk to unstable voltages?

Most failures are manufacturing defects that can cause failures years later. Remember the famous electrolytic capacitor failures years later due to counterfeit electrolyte? Many want to blame something specific and immediate; rather than learn something was defective years previously when purchased. Manufacturing defects are why most things fail.

UPS connects the computer directly to AC mains when not in battery backup mode. In battery backup mode, it is often the 'dirtiest' power. Which is no problem due to robust circuitry standard in all electronics. For example, this 120 volt USP in battery backup mode outputs spikes up to 270 volts. No problem to any computer or other electronics. But potentially harmful to motorized appliances. UPS is only temporary and 'dirty' power during a blackout. It does not 'clean' power for so many reasons and despite popular urban myths that claim 'cleaning' is needed.

To say more means first providing some hard facts such as which specific part failed.
 

Crassa

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Jul 27, 2013
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So what should I do? The fact is there was never any explosion on my PSU until I move into this city and plugged in my PC for the first time. And obviously with the frequent black outs it just shows something is not right in this city. I won't be able to go to the retail store to check on my hardware until 20th of December. I'm still wondering what I should do to prevent things like this to happen again in this darn city. One of the dude in a nearby store recommended me to use UPS and stabilizer but heck I'm not even too sure what a stabilizer supposedly does. All I can think of is it would stabilize power from the AC mains into my PSU so that a small surge spike(There is no lightning here) could be prevented into entering my PSU that can activate one of its safety features. If by that explanation it sounds a bit realistic that I actually should get one, especially if there is many PSU factory defects out there.
 

westom

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1) So what changed? Most drastic change was a physical move. A stray metal fragment finally shorted out and damaged something (one example). You (not city power) changed things. Why blame city power? That power has not damaged other computers for how many decades? Most likely culprit is something unique to the problem: yourself.

Many PSUs sold to computer assemblers are missing essential features required to avert damage. Did you select that PSU on dollars and watts (two useless numbers)? Or first confirm it meets a more than full page of required technical numbers and standards (what is required to properly build a computer)? No PSU manufacturer must meet ATX standards. That responsiblity falls completely on a computer assembler. And so we have another variable. Did the PSU meet standards necessary for it to work on many variations of standard AC power?

2) What does a UPS do? Provides temporary and 'dirty' power during a blackout. So that unsaved data can be saved. 'Dirty'? Of course. Because electronics are so robust that even this 120 volt UPS outputting up to 270 volts spikes does not damage hardware. But again the question. Did your system meet ATX standards that all computer PSUs must meet? So that even 'dirtiest' power from a UPS does not cause failure?

3) Destructive surges are maybe hundreds of thousands of joules. How many joules in that SP? 4000 means it provides 1333 joules and never more than 2667 joules during a surge. How do thousands of joules absorb surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules? Did they forget to mention those numbers?

Often a surge is too tiny to overwhelm protection inside appliances. But that same surge damages an undersized protector. Many use wild speculation to assume, "My SP sacrificed itself to save my computer." Total nonsense. Undersizing a SP gets a majority to recommend it.

Better protection is already inside appliances. How often are you replacing less robust appliances such as clocks, dimmer switches, and GFCIs? Never? Then where is this destructive surge that has so many concerned? Often invented by advertising and SP manufacturers to protect profits - not hardware. If your PSU meets ATX standards, then it already protects itself from a thousands joule surge. Of course, you have no reason to believe a surge or 'dirty' AC power caused that damage.

4) Completley different and potentially destructive surges are rare - maybe once every seven years. Another and completely different device, also called a SP, is part of a protection 'system' for that other and destructive transient. When they told you what to buy, did they forget to mention the 4000 joule SP is only for surges that typically do no damage? The other device, also called a protector, dissipates hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly outside the building. So that all appliances are protected. If your computer needs protection, then so do clocks, the furnace, dimmer switches, dishwasher, and something most important during a surge - smoke detectors. One properly earthed 'whole house' protector means everything (including your computer) has protection from destructive transients. So that protection already inside all appliances is not overwhelmed.

Protection means you know this answer. Where are hundreds of thousands of joules absorbed? Earth. Some protection systems do not even have protectors. But every effective system always has the component that absorbs the energy: earth ground. A system, that includes a completely different SP, is for surges that may actually damage electronics. This superior solution also costs tens or even 100 times less money. So that protection inside all appliances (even dimmer switches) is not overwhelmed. These superior devices come from other manufacturers known for integrity.

5) Numerous potential reasons can explain that failure. A problem must be defined BEFORE demanding a solution. In your case, a damaged component must be known before even speculating on a reason for failure. You moved the machine. Therefore you are the most likely reason for that failure. If blackouts or brownouts cause damage, then so does any other shutdown. Define a defect before curing it. Power off never damages a properly designed appliance.